Tar Heels leave frustrated after holding off East Carolina

Published: Sunday, December 16, 2012 at 12:44 AM.

“I feel like we could’ve won this game by at least 15 if we would’ve played smarter toward the end.”

More than anything — more than the zero offensive rebounds from North Carolina’s post players that Williams lamented — the finish, or lack thereof, is what rankled the Tar Heels (8-2) the most.

East Carolina (6-2), coached by former Tar Heels standout Jeff Lebo and playing a men’s basketball game in Chapel Hill for the first time in school history, pumped in 61 second-half points and sliced a 78-65 deficit with 3½ minutes remaining to four in the final 30 seconds.

With point guard Miguel Paul taking control and distributing, Akeem Richmond nailed four 3-pointers during the last 4:21 to rally the Pirates. Richmond’s final two 3s dropped in a 12-second span that made the score 89-85 and sent anxiety rising in the building.

“We did a horrible job on defense,” Strickland said.

“We were told that Akeem Richmond was a shooter,” Hairston said, shrugging his shoulders. “He got his shots and he hit almost every one in that last little spurt.”

East Carolina extended defensively and pressed down the stretch to climb back in the game.

CHAPEL HILL — Within two minutes of opening his postgame comments to reporters, North Carolina coach Roy Williams calmly had used a version of the word “frustrated” six times.

Not one, not two, not three, but six times while beginning to delve into his thoughts on the 21st-ranked Tar Heels’ 93-87 squeaker past East Carolina at the Smith Center.

That repetitive term — frustrated — summarized what became a head-shaking, back-of-the-neck scratching Saturday afternoon that left North Carolina, albeit a winner, devoid of much satisfaction.

And it echoed through the answers afterward in the Tar Heels players’ lounge.

“You can’t feel good about a win like this,” forward James Michael McAdoo said.

“We made a lot of mistakes, we didn’t match their energy and those are things we can’t afford in the future,” guard Dexter Strickland said.

“I don’t feel good. I feel like it could’ve been a lot better,” swingman P.J. Hairston said. “I mean, a win is a win and everyone wants to win. But when you win a certain way … .

“I feel like we could’ve won this game by at least 15 if we would’ve played smarter toward the end.”

More than anything — more than the zero offensive rebounds from North Carolina’s post players that Williams lamented — the finish, or lack thereof, is what rankled the Tar Heels (8-2) the most.

East Carolina (6-2), coached by former Tar Heels standout Jeff Lebo and playing a men’s basketball game in Chapel Hill for the first time in school history, pumped in 61 second-half points and sliced a 78-65 deficit with 3½ minutes remaining to four in the final 30 seconds.

With point guard Miguel Paul taking control and distributing, Akeem Richmond nailed four 3-pointers during the last 4:21 to rally the Pirates. Richmond’s final two 3s dropped in a 12-second span that made the score 89-85 and sent anxiety rising in the building.

“We did a horrible job on defense,” Strickland said.

“We were told that Akeem Richmond was a shooter,” Hairston said, shrugging his shoulders. “He got his shots and he hit almost every one in that last little spurt.”

East Carolina extended defensively and pressed down the stretch to climb back in the game.

Twice in the last 2½ minutes, after over-dribbling turnovers committed by Marcus Paige and Strickland, Williams could be seen on the sideline mimicking a chest-passing motion.

“Just silliness. Both of those you’ve just got to pass the ball,” Williams said, later mentioning North Carolina’s limited practice schedule due to end-of-semester exams. “That’s the way our team played, like we haven’t been practicing.

“They (the Pirates) kept fighting and kept fighting. We gave them a lot of opportunities by screwing things up.”

McAdoo’s 19 points topped five Tar Heels in double digits. Hairston added 18 points off the bench, Reggie Bullock scored 14 before fouling out in the final minute and Strickland, a senior, supplied 12 points and a career-high 10 assists.

In the first half, the Tar Heels shot 55.2 percent from the field, then increased their lead to 18 in the opening minute of the second half and appeared poised to deliver a blowout.

That never materialized. And by the 13:43 mark of the second half, Williams burned a timeout, lowered onto one knee in the huddle and launched into a red-faced tirade.

“I can’t say what he said, because I can’t curse,” Strickland said, adding that the coach demanded more urgency.

East Carolina’s Richmond, who Lebo said served as a ball boy at North Carolina games while growing up, poured in all 17 of his points during the second half.

Maurice Kemp contributed 15 points and 14 boards and Paul provided 15 points and eight assists for the Pirates, who heated up from 30.3-percent shooting in the first half to 52.9 percent in the second half.

“We shot the ball very well in the second half to make things interesting,” Lebo said. “Coach Williams has a young team and I’ve got a little bit more experienced guys. I like experienced guys. I’m proud of my group, proud of my team. We battled.”

-- TIP-INS …:McAdoo was asked about the postgame message in the Tar Heels locker room. “The way we played is unacceptable and will not be allowed anymore,” McAdoo said, repeating Williams’ words. … Strickland has dished out 26 assists in the last three games. He has 50 assists compared to 16 turnovers on the season. … Fourteen of Hairston’s points came in the second half. … Tokoto, a freshman, set a season high with 10 points. … McAdoo scored eight points during the game’s opening four minutes. … Freshman forward Brice Johnson received his second start of the season beside North Carolina regulars McAdoo, Bullock, Strickland and Paige. Johnson finished with five points and four rebounds in 15 minutes of playing time. Williams said Johnson wasn’t feeling well. “I made the decision I was going to start Brice and then I go to pregame and he’s sick as a dog,” Williams said. … Lebo, a North Carolina guard from 1985-89, was greeted by a warm ovation after East Carolina’s starters were introduced. “It’s a special place for me, obviously,” he said. “That was awfully nice of the people here to do it. It meant a lot to me as well as my family.” … Alamance County sheriff Terry Johnson, an East Carolina alum, was decked out in purple eight rows behind the Tar Heels bench.